Test: The Making of a Global World - 1 - UPSC MCQ

• The Great Depression in the 1920s was primarily caused by agricultural overproduction and falling prices, leading to a cycle of economic downturn.
• This scenario worsened as farmers tried to expand production to maintain their incomes, resulting in a glut in the market and a further decline in prices.

• The Industrial Revolution in England led to a decline in British textile exports as Indian textiles faced stiff competition in international markets due to tariff barriers.
• This decline impacted the balance of trade between England and India, with Britain enjoying a trade surplus over India.

The T-Model Ford was the world's first mass-produced car. Henry Ford, a pioneer of mass production, established his car plant in Detroit, marking a significant milestone in industrial history.

• Statements (i), (ii), and (iv) are correct based on the historical context of the pre-modern world.
• Cowries were indeed used as currency and traded widely.
• The Silk Routes were significant for trade and cultural exchanges.
• The Indian Ocean was a central trade hub before European exploration.
• However, statement (iii), about spaghetti traveling west from China, although plausible, is more of a hypothesis and not definitively proven, thus making it less accurate as a historical fact. Hence, the correct answer is Option C.

• The Assertion states the impact of the Great Depression on India's economy, highlighting the adverse effects on agriculture and trade.
• The Reason explains how the global economic downturn resulted in decreased exports and imports in India, leading to hardships for peasants and farmers.
• Both statements are true and are logically linked.
• The Great Depression indeed caused a significant economic downturn in India, affecting various sectors as described.
• Hence, Option A is the correct choice as both the Assertion and Reason are true, and the Reason is a valid explanation for the Assertion.

Rinderpest, a devastating cattle disease, arrived in Africa in the late 1880s, causing significant loss of cattle and disrupting African livelihoods.

The First World War transformed the US from being an international debtor to an international creditor, as the US and its citizens owned more overseas assets than foreign governments and citizens owned in the US following the war.

• Option A: (a) Rinderpest - Late 1880s is correctly matched. The text mentions that Rinderpest, a devastating cattle disease, arrived in Africa in the late 1880s.
• Option B: (b) Hosay - Guyana is incorrect. Hosay, a riotous carnival in Trinidad, is mentioned in the context of cultural fusion involving Indian migrants.
• Option C: (c) Indentured Labour - Ceylon is partially correct. Although Tamil migrants went to Ceylon, this option is not specific enough compared to the precise match in Option A.
• Option D: (d) Gold Production - 15 per cent is incorrect. The text specifies that by the 1890s, South Africa contributed over 20 per cent of the world's gold production, not 15 per cent.

The discoveries of sea routes to Asia and America by European sailors in the 16th century significantly contributed to reducing the vastness of the pre-modern world, redirecting and expanding trade flows towards Europe.

• were a pivotal technological advancement that revolutionized the transportation of perishable foods over long distances in the nineteenth century.
• These ships facilitated the global trade in food products by allowing them to be transported in a preserved state, significantly impacting food availability and affordability worldwide.

The shift in the international financial system in the mid-1970s is what led to the collapse of fixed exchange rates. This change resulted in challenges for developing countries in borrowing from Western commercial banks and marked a transition towards private lending institutions.

The Spanish conquerors' most powerful weapon was not advanced military weaponry but the biological germs such as smallpox that they carried, which devastated the indigenous populations who had no immunity against these diseases.

• (i) Silver from mines in present-day Peru and Mexico indeed enhanced Europe's wealth and financed its Asian trade. This influx of precious metals was crucial for European economies.
• (ii) Smallpox, introduced by Europeans, spread rapidly among the native populations who had no immunity to such diseases, leading to significant mortality and weakening of these communities.
• (iv) European entry into global trade redirected and expanded trade flows towards Europe, significantly transforming global trade patterns and integrating the Americas into the global economy.

However, statement (iii) is incorrect because European colonists did not have high immunity to American diseases; rather, they brought diseases like smallpox to which the native populations had no immunity.

• In this case, both the Assertion and Reason are correct.
• The Assertion states that the silk routes were not just about silk but also facilitated the exchange of various goods and cultures.
• The Reason complements this by explaining that the silk routes connected vast regions of Asia, Europe, and northern Africa, enabling the trade of commodities beyond silk, such as Chinese pottery, textiles, spices from India, and precious metals.
• Therefore, Reason provides a logical explanation for the Assertion.